Last weekend saw the Labour Party descend on Liverpool to outline its vision for the future.
Meanwhile, a sea of farmers took to the streets in protest against current Government policies that the industry feels will be severely detrimental to agriculture, particularly Inheritance Tax (IHT).
In the run-up to the Labour Party's conference, farmers drove the ‘Trailer of Truth' around various auction marts across the country. The trailer was covered in messages from farmers, in hope that the Government will see the impact its policies will truly have.
One message read: "Farming is the backbone of Britain. It's community, a way of life. It's vets, feed companies, tractor firms, butchers. The list is endless."
A box was also filled full of handwritten letters, many of which simply asked for a review of IHT, with farmers voicing their concerns about the lack of communication between the Government and the agricultural sector.
NFU President Tom Bradshaw says that this policy continues to hinder growth in the sector.
"Over the past year, it has become clear that the family farm tax is not a fair and balanced approach to reform. It does little to counter those who seek to shelter wealth from IHT, instead putting the heaviest burden on working farming families. Many will not be able to afford the tax at all, while others will have to halt investing in their businesses to pay it," says Mr Bradshaw.
"This issue has not and will not go away. Multiple solutions have now been provided which would better protect Britain's family farms while generating the required revenue for the Treasury from the NFU's clawback mechanism.
"The Government still has time to make this right ahead of the Finance Bill and make adjustments, so the policy is fair, affordable and enables growth."
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Speaking at Gisburn auction mart, Phillip Marginson, who farms near Burnley, Lancashire, said the industry did not feel like it was being listened to.
Signing the ‘Trailer of Truth', he said: "In our own small way, we have all got to try and push that little bit harder to let our voices be heard."
Andrew Millar, commercial manager at Guy Machinery, says there needs to be an awareness that there will be a knock-on effect to associated industries.
"Farmers will invest in the industry and plough what they earn back into their businesses. They need to have modern machinery and maintain the equipment they have, so it will impact us as machinery suppliers. We need farmers; they are our customers," he says.
"We have a lot of youngsters coming through that are from farming backgrounds [who] we are training up, but businesses are struggling at the minute, and you see reductions and some closures and businesses struggling to maintain their services.
"We have some of the best, efficient and sustainable farmers – all the things that people want."
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